Before you hop in the car and race to your vacation destination, make sure to check your petals - your flower petals, that is.

Summer heat and rainless days can be deadly for gardens, especially when their source of water is on vacation. But there are ways to help gardens stay cool while you're relaxing by a pool or touring a winery.

Deeply rooted

David Honhorst, a nursery worker at Shades of Green and a veteran gardener, said new plants require more water and pampering than established plants, making it harder for new plants to survive if left without care.

“It's common sense; if you just planted, don't go on vacation,” he said.

Honhorst said it's best to plant xeriscape plants, which can survive drought.

“As long as they are established plants, it's their nature to survive,” he said. “They might not look as good, but they should survive.”

Much ado about mulch

The best thing for any garden is to surround plants with mulch, particularly organic mulch, said Jamie Daily, a Bexar County Master Gardeners. “It keeps plant roots cooler and protects them from the sun,” said Daily, who has been gardening since she was a child and has gardened in many different areas. “It will biodegrade. It will improve soil.”

Feeding frenzy

Before leaving on vacation, Daily said, gardeners should do everything they can to make their plants healthy, including feeding them. She suggests fertilizing two to three weeks before vacation.

“The plants need to be fed,” she said. “Healthier plants do better than unhealthy plants, just like people.”

She recommends slow-release fertilizer, such as Osmocote, which is available at nurseries and big-box stores and works for any plant.

“Sprinkle it, work it in and leave it,” she said.

But, beware of over fertilizing, she said. It can kill plants.

Shady business

Move potted plants into the shade, Daily said.

“You need to do 30 percent less watering in the shade,” she said. Sun-loving plants won't suffer in reduced light for a couple of weeks.

If you're worried about in-ground plants getting too hot, set up shade cloths to shield them, she said.

Water works

Watering plants thoroughly before leaving is also important, Daily said.

“That's what I do,” she said. “I run around watering all day.”

To water potted plants while you're away, Daily recommends using soda bottles or plastic milk jugs as a temporary drip irrigation system.

“You can fill a soda bottle with water and poke a small hole in it,” she said. Secure the bottle in the soil, and the slow drip will keep the soil moist.

Honhorst said another option for all plants is a drip irrigation system that delivers water slowly around plant roots.

“Drip irrigation will drip slowly and go deeply,” Honhorst said. “You won't have to water as often.”

Daily said drip irrigation is more effective than sprinklers because water is not being sprayed into the air and, therefore, less is lost to evaporation.

Also, drip irrigation lines can be installed under mulch.

“That way, you're not watering the mulch. You're watering the plants,” she said.

Tom Harris, also known as the Hill Country Gardener, said drip irrigation decreases the chance for plant disease because leaves stay dry.

“It's super efficient and super effective,” said Harris, who teaches classes on drip irrigation. “It only gets the roots.”

He recommends using a battery-powered timer with the drip system.

“Water drips on the roots of the plant at a designated time and preset amounts per hour,” he said, adding that the length of time and amount of water varies based on the weather, soil and type of plant.

Honhorst recommends you check the weather and, if need be, ask for help.